MOBILE, Alabama -- Over the last two weeks, three men on bicycles have been killed within a one-mile stretch of Springhill Avenue, between Broad and Catherine streets. Most recently, on Tuesday, an unidentified man was struck and killed while trying to cross Springhill near Ann Street.

Two of those killed – 48-year-old Joey O'Brien and 61-year-old Terry Lee Crawford – were the victims of homicides. And sometime during the night of Oct. 30, hours after Crawford was found stabbed to death, memorials were erected anonymously near the sites of his and O’Brien’s death.

Called Ghost Bikes, they are bicycles traditionally painted all-white and chained, with heavy locks, to fences, sign posts or other structures near where cyclists have been killed by motorists. Exceptions seem to have been made in the recent homicide cases, but in May, a Ghost Bike was erected in downtown Mobile in memory of Edward Lindsey Mack, who was killed by an allegedly drunken driver.

At Lyons Park, the Crawford Ghost Bike was chained to the southwest corner of the fence bordering the property, while the O’Brien Ghost Bike was affixed to a road sign in front of the Springhill Post Office.

Only time will tell if a memorial Ghost Bike will be erected near Springhill and Ann in honor of the unidentified cyclist killed on Tuesday.

Striking when viewed in the context of the deaths they memorialize, a question has been raised by some of AL.com’s readership, in regards to the Ghost Bikes: are they a fitting tribute or pointless vandalism?

We put the question to you, and invite you to respectfully leave your comments at the bottom of this article.